ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College volleyball team returned to the win column with a 3-0 sweep of Clarks Summit University in a Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) match on Saturday afternoon at Lees Gymnasium on Senior Day.

Prior to the match, the Falcons honored its two seniors Aliyah Rhoden (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton) and Kelsee Schouppe (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) in a special pregame ceremony.

Cedar Crest captured the match by set scores of 25-8, 25-9, and 25-2.

The Falcons raced out to an 8-1 lead in the opening set. The Lady Defenders pulled to within five (10-5) after a Cedar Crest service error. A quick 14-1 spurt by the Falcons sent the margin up to 18, 24-6. Clarks Summit scored two straight points, but a service error gave Cedar Crest the 1-0 advantage with the 25-8 win.

The Falcons continued its strong play in the second set, obtaining a 6-1 lead in the early going. After a service error from Cedar Crest, the Falcons went on a 13-2 run pushed the margin to 15, 19-4. Late in the set, the Lady Defenders strung together four straight points to make the score, 20-8, but Cedar Crest finished on a 5-1 run to take the stanza, 25-9.

The home team finished strong, starting on a 12-2 run and closed on a 13-0 spurt to take the third set in impressive fashion, 25-2.

Schouppe led the Falcons with five kills, five service aces, five digs, and a pair of blocks. Junior Maddison Minyo (Covington, Pa./North Penn-Mansfield) chipped in five kills while Rhoden added four. Junior Daja Jackson (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Gilbert ) put on a strong serving display, registering eight service aces. Junior Ava Grapsy (Macungie, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) recorded 21 assists, nine digs, and three service aces. Junior Rebekka Sanchez-Castro (Columbia, Md./Atholton) finished with a match-high 12 digs.

Senior Katie McKee (Buffalo, N.Y.) had a pair of kills for Clarks Summit while junior Melanie Stabler (Lockport, N.Y.) tallied seven digs and one service ace.  

Cedar Crest (7-8 overall, 4-1 CSAC) now embarks on a four-match road trip beginning on Wednesday, October 19 at Cairn University at 7:00 p.m. Clarks Summit (0-21 overall, 0-5 CSAC) hosts the University of Valley Forge on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

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